Can you be allergic to chocolate?

An allergy to chocolate may sound beyond cruel, but many people think they suffer from one. We use the word think, because an allergy to cocoa beans, the essential component of chocolate, is very rare.

It is more likely to be an allergy or a food intolerance to one of the many other ingredients often found in chocolate.

A good quality chocolate usually contains a high percentage of cocoa, sugar and perhaps vanilla. Other types can contain cow’s milk, nuts or nut oils, wheat, soy, corn, caffeine and even nickel as well as an assortment of additives.

Milk contains proteins which trigger an allergic reaction in someone who is susceptible. People who are lactose intolerant may also have problems eating chocolate. If someone has a severe milk allergy, even plain chocolate may cause an allergic reaction, as it often contains trace amounts of milk.

Similarly, wheat is a common food allergen, and gluten found in wheat is a known cause of food intolerance.

Soy lecithin is a common food allergen – it can trigger a reaction in people who are allergic to it – and is most common in lower quality chocolate.

Symptoms of a “chocolate allergy” range from mild to severe and include a red, itchy rash which may appear to swell, headache and heartburn.

If you think you are allergic to chocolate, you should visit your GP. They can refer you to an allergy clinic which can carry out the tests needed to identify the culprit chocolate ingredient.

This article was published on Thu 19 November 2009